This book has sat, unread, on my bookshelf for a very long time. After an ex-colleague tweeted about reading it, I picked it up and gave the first chapter a read.
It’s very easy to see why it’s such a popular book, the story sucks you straight in, but the narrative style is familiar, like Aesop’s fables or a Bible story.
The book focusses on the lead character’s encounters with God and his journey to discover his personal goal and desires in life. It has good morals about overcoming set backs in order to achieve your goals, but I was surprised to see Santiago’s ‘treasure’ turn out the way it did. I love the idea of omens, and of making your own luck, and thought there was an interesting balance between being the master of your own destiny, and working towards achieving a pre-destined fate. The book is rooted in religious beliefs and a relationship with God, but I thought the overarching power was held by nature, the ‘language of the universe’, rather than the old man with the breastplate. Perhaps that’s a result of my own ideas about religion…
It’s a short book which can be read in one sitting, and deserves its place on the best sellers list. If you haven’t read it yet, make sure you do - especially if you’re in a grumpy mood and you’re in need of a bit of a lift.
This is the 20th book I’ve read this year. You can read my other reviews on my blog.
